8 Essential Mom Hacks To Make Time For Self Care
Self Care for busy moms is vital. Yet finding the time between family life and career on any typical day can be difficult, with Me-Time for mothers often non-existent. Read on for 8 essential mom hacks to make time for self care.
Written by Nadine Stille, who coaches moms with careers to ditch their daily grind and bring more joy into their lives.
“I wish I had more time for myself!”
That’s one of the most frequent sentences, or something along those lines, that I get to hear from busy, stressed-out moms. And yet, the days can seem relentless, with endless to-do lists that never contain ‘self care for mom’.
Here are practical strategies that will, not only save you time, but also make you more efficient and happier.
8 Essential Mom Hacks To Make Time For Self Care
1. Delegate
Everyone at home is part of team “Family” - so everyone gets to play their part. Start delegating early (but to be honest, it’s never too late), play to everyone’s strengths and give them a choice, explain why and what the benefits are to everyone involved. Need to know more? Read up about the importance of chores for kids and the benefits they have.
2. Stop Being a Perfectionist
Done is better than perfect! It can be that easy. Be clear on the 20% of your tasks that really need to be done at 100%, and the rest of those tasks do not need perfectionism but will save you, mom, time for self care.
3. Drop the Ball
What if you just dropped the ball - purposefully - and stopped doing (fill in the blank). I came across this approach in Tiffany Dufu’s book Drop The Ball. What would happen if you stopped hairdresser appointments, cleaning the car, folding all the clothes nicely, or …? Make a list, be creative, get the family on board, and give it a go. You can always call it a ‘pilot’ and cancel it after a trial period.
4. Stop People Pleasing
Saying ‘yes’ when you actually mean ‘no’ can be such an energy drainer. On top of draining you of your mental energy, your time is also wasted. Practice saying ‘Yes’ to yourself!
“When you learn how to say ‘yes’ to yourself, you will be able to say ‘no’ to others - with love.” - Alan Cohen
5. If You Can, Outsource
I know outsourcing may not always be an option to save time but consider what may be possible. Ask yourself: What would you gain from outsourcing a particular activity? How can you make it a reality? Save on frequency, shop around for a best offer, consider a service exchange, etc.
Think of cleaning services once a month, clothes washing, baby/ child sitting, grocery shopping and delivery, diaper service, food preparation, …
6. Plan and Schedule
If everyone knows what to do when, where to be at a certain time, and what’s expected of them without you having to remind everyone frequently and individually, then that saves you energy, time, and other resources. So, play around with what works for you and your family. Apps, online calendars, and scheduling tools, a wall calendar, post it notes… the opportunities are endless.
Important here: Make sure to schedule in your self-care!
7. Automate
Bill payments, hairdresser or doctor appointments, renewals, auto-orders and deliveries. What else can you automate to rid yourself of the guesswork and busy admin work?
8. Fill Two (Or Three Or Four) Needs With One Deed
Want to get healthier, get outdoors more, and also be more social? Why not meet up for a walk or jog outdoors with friends and do all 3 at the same time? Need to catch up over a call, or want to listen to a podcast or audio book? Why not do it while you’re commuting?
What tasks can you combine to do less and save time?
Making Time For Self Care Comes Down To This:
You don’t have to do it all yourself, and the essential mom hacks listed here may actually be easier and faster to implement than you may think!
Make sure you actually schedule in self-care for yourself.
You could call it Me-Time, Mom Self Care, Mama’s Moments, or anything else that symbolizes this is for YOU and it’s important, essential even, for your own happiness, and that of your entire family.
‘Self Care for Mom’ is not to be messed with!
Now, go forth, put the 8 essential mom hacks into action and start thinking about all the fabulous things you’ll do with that extra time you’ll have.